Netflix’s new drama movie, “Steve,” reunites Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy with director Tim Mielants, marking their second collaboration following last year’s unflinching but deeply tender “Small Things Like These.” The duo’s second project may not quite hit the same high notes, though Murphy’s leading performance is just as vital, but this is no sophomore slump.
As a small-scale movie, based on Max Porter’s 2023 novel “Shy” (the author adapts his own source material here), “Steve” probably isn’t going to be a No. 1 smash hit for the streaming service. It lacks the broad appeal of Netflix’s blockbuster originals, and its solid but unspectacular critical reception suggests that it’s unlikely to be a major player come awards season. I could totally see “Steve” getting a bit lost in the vastness of Netflix’s movie library.
